


Wheel Done

by fracturedvaels



Category: Until Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, M/M, Minor Injuries, meet cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-28
Updated: 2015-09-28
Packaged: 2018-04-23 18:49:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4887931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fracturedvaels/pseuds/fracturedvaels
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Meet cute: Josh likes wearing his Heelys, even in public.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wheel Done

**Author's Note:**

> insp: http://climbingclasshell.tumblr.com/post/130028790362/untildawn-joshwashington-ok-josh-in-heelys

Beth had always told him to be careful when he was skating.

Okay.  _Well._  What she had actually said was,  _Josh, you fucking turd, stop wearing your Heelys everywhere, you’re going to get hurt!_

She was probably right, but that didn’t mean Josh was going to stop wearing his Heelys.

He probably should’ve though. But he just liked them - he took every small personal freedom he was allowed and rolled with it. Being allowed to go to the store by himself, being allowed a nice cell phone, two bedrooms and a bathroom to himself. These things he could have, and only under monitoring.

The Heelys, he could have. So he wore them and he rolled around in them, everywhere he could. Around the house, around the yard, the neighborhood. To the shops, when he was permitted to go.

And it was getting to be Autumn; perfect Heely weather. So he put them on and decided - why not? He wanted to get out. He was feeling okay. A good day, it didn’t have to end that way; he just wanted to stretch his legs. So he took them out.

And it went okay, mostly. Most people were at work, or lunch, and he steered clear of heavily populated areas. Of course, he zoned out - and he didn’t see the small raised edge of sidewalk, just large enough that should, say, a Heely wheel roll over it, it might send the wearer tumbling to the ground.

That would be bad. And as Josh rolled over it a hundred different endings played out in his head: he’d fall, he’d hurt himself, he’d be embarrassed. Maybe people would laugh at him. He could imagine hitting his head on the pavement and having to stumble home bloodied.

How embarrassing, his hypothetical self thought dully, deciding to never leave the house again out of shame.

Except he never made it to the ground. Or, not in the way he expected; he was yanked back rather suddenly by an arm around his waist and a phone sailed across his vision. He didn’t regain his steady position though, he still went tumbling down. But he twisted, going skyward, and landed on the soft pad of someone’s stomach as he fell.

“Oh, geez,” came the wounded groan. Josh was vaguely aware of reality and managed to roll himself off the person, pulling back to sit on his knees. He’d mostly been cushioned, but he’d hit his shoulder on a raised planter ledge when he’d fallen, had scraped his forearm up on the ground. “Oh, shit. Shit. Are you okay?”

Josh could’ve laughed. He blinked away tears -  _stupid, stupid, don’t cry_  - he chided himself, still caught in the hypothetical future where he’d fallen and embarrassed himself in front of perfect strangers. “I - ” he rubbed at his face with his uninjured hand and looked at the person who’d grabbed him. This man was already recovering, sitting up and looking around them.

Josh realized he was searching for his phone. It had landed in the edge of the planter, face-down. Josh winced.

“I’m fine,” he said quietly. The man frowned, reaching up to adjust skewed glasses.

Josh couldn’t help but feel worse. This man was downright lovely. It was always worse to embarrass yourself in front of someone cool and attractive.

“I’m sorry,” he reached out for the man’s phone at the same time the man did, hesitated, dropped his hand. The scrape was pretty bad; he hid it in his lap. “Are you okay? I didn’t see the - I think - I’m. I’m sorry, dude.”

“Hey,” the man stopped reaching for his phone. “You okay? You sure?”

Oh, nice. Genuine kindness.  _Keep it cool, Washington_ , he told himself. He could fake it. He could fake it. What was it normal people did? They didn’t cry when they fell in public. “I’m fine, yeah. Just a scrape, sorry. Are you alright?”

“I’m good.” The man looked at Josh’s hand. He reached out, taking it gingerly, moving slowly and looking at Josh for approval. When Josh didn’t peel back he hooked his fingers around the wrist and raised it, hissing. “That doesn’t look like just a scrape.”

“Sorry,” Josh said, then realized he’d said that too much. Then he curled his fingers. “I mean. It’s fine. I swear. Your phone - ”

The man glanced at his phone, letting go of Josh’s wrist as he reached for it. Josh winced as he lifted it up; the screen had cracked in so many places. The man frowned as well, then looked at Josh, who was biting his lip and teetering on the edge of panicked tears.

“Hey, hey, no, it’s okay.” The man started to sit up more on his knees, reaching a hand out for Josh’s elbow. “It’s cool. My name’s Chris, okay? I’m fine. Not a scratch on me.”

“Your phone,” Josh said limply, and resisted the urge to scrub at his eyes.

“My phone is fine,” Chris said. “It needs to be replaced soon anyway. It’s okay. My name’s Chris,” he repeated. “What’s yours?”

“I’m Josh.” Josh said after a moment. He dipped his head down and rubbed at his eyes. After a few steady breaths, he felt calmer.

“Hey, come on.” Chris stood up, then he held his hands out. He helped Josh up to his feet. “Come on, let’s - let’s go do something about that hand. I think there’s a Walgreens or something around the corner.”

* * *

 

Chris was the one who ducked into the store to grab the things. Josh felt awkward enough letting this total stranger - a man he’d likely injured - take care of him, especially after breaking his phone, and he considered taking off, but Chris had insisted on calling someone to come get Josh when it was clear Josh wasn’t gonna be able to take himself home.

So Josh sat on the curb in the parking lot and waited a few minutes, hoping Chris would just leave and he could go home and forget this even happened and never leave again. Instead, Chris returned, carrying a bag.

“Hey,” he said as he sat down. Josh wondered if that was his favorite word. “Let me see your hand, dude.”

Josh offered his scraped up hand to Chris. The other man worked quickly, cleaning it with alcohol wipes - Josh had to grit his teeth to keep from hissing too much - then took out soft gauze. He wrapped this around Josh’s hand, using a length of bandage wrap to keep it secure.

“There, all better. And I didn’t even have to kiss it.” Josh tried to swallow his laugh but couldn’t, and Chris’ smile made him feel warm inside from it. “I’m sorry about your hand. You gonna be okay?”

“Yeah. I’m - I’m sorry again. About your phone. My sister’s always telling me not to roll around in these and I just - I. I don’t know. I like them.” He rolled his heel across the ground, enjoying the sound of rocks crunching as it went.

“Nah, it’s fine, I promise.” Chris folded his hands together. “This the same sister that’s coming to pick you up?”

“Different sister.” Josh said. “They’re twins. Hannah is coming to get me. Beth’s the one who’s always yelling.”

“Ahh. Older?”

“Younger.” Josh shrugged. He didn’t want to explain to a total stranger that his baby sister policed him because he couldn’t take care of himself, but Chris didn’t pry. “Hannah’s nicer. Maybe I can scam some food off her.”

“Yeah? Food might help.” Chris folded his hands together under his chin. “Have you ever been to Lee’s? That little food truck up near Broad Rock?”

Josh perked up at this. “I  _love_  that truck,” he said, turning to Chris. “They make those plates with the shrimp and the chicken - ”

“Yeah! Man, that’s my favorite.”

“Mine too.”

Chris grinned at him. Silence fell between the two of them again for a few minutes; before long, Josh saw Hannah’s bright red Chevy pulling into the parking lot.

“That’s my sister,” he said quietly. Chris nodded, and handed him the bag. “I’m gonna - I’ll go throw this away.” Josh stood up, leaving Chris’ side; he was half-hoping Hannah would follow him, but she didn’t, just paused where Josh had been sitting. When he turned his back around, Chris was leaning in the passenger side window talking to her.

Josh walked to her truck slowly, wary of whatever they were discussing. But Chris stood up straight and stepped back, and Hannah waved him on; he hurried to the truck and hopped into the passenger side.

“Thanks again, Chris,” Hannah waved at him. “It was nice meeting you.”

“No problem. Take care. You too, Josh.” He waved at them both, then turned and headed back in the direction he and Josh had walked to the Walgreens from.

When Josh turned back around, Hannah was staring at him.

“No,” he said, but she just shrugged.

“He was cute. Did you get his number.”

“I broke his  _phone_.” Josh replied pathetically. “I’m lucky I didn’t get left in the middle of the road.”

Hannah patted his knee sympathetically before turning the truck around and pulling out of the parking lot.

* * *

 

Josh didn’t leave his home - or really his room - a lot the rest of the week. Beth was vaguely sympathetic and didn’t bring up the incident, but she kept shooting him sideways glances. And Sam, when she came to see Hannah, stopped by to check on him.

Josh hadn’t wanted everyone knowing what had happened, and he tried to ignore most of his friends’ texting and questions.

Until Friday.

“Hey,” Hannah swung by his room. “Put on something clean. We’re going to dinner with Sam.”

Josh stared at her with a frown.

“I’m serious! Come on. We’ll take you to Lee’s. Get that plate with the shrimp and the chicken that you like.”

Josh narrowed his eyes at her, but she rolled out of his doorway before he could question her comment. It sounded... too specific, in a way, and though the incident from earlier in the week was all but gone he was sure they were connected.

But he complied, because it was better than arguing with his sister. He found a clean flannel and some clean jeans and combed his hair, electing to wear normal shoes as his Heelys still left a slightly sour taste in his mouth.

When he got to the living room, he almost turned and stomped back upstairs.

“Hey,” Chris waved at him. He was sipping from a coke, chatting with Sam and Beth; they all offered him smiles, which he returned before turning, grabbing Hannah by the arm and pushing her down the hallway.

“How dare you,” he started as she held up a finger and said, “Don’t. You. Dare.”

“Why are you doing this to me,” he demanded, half-hurt. “I broke the guy’s phone! Why is he here!”

“Because he thought you were cute and was too embarrassed to ask you out. He said you seemed kind of distant. So he gave me a number to contact him at, and I offered a double date.” She reached up and squeezed his arms. “I figured you’d be more comfortable that way,” she added on gently.

That was... true. Having Hannah and Sam there would mean an easy out, if things got bad.

“It’s okay. You said you wanted to repay him for the phone, he wanted to take you out. So... you know.” She nodded her head down the hallway. “It’s gonna be okay, Josh. I promise.”

Josh hesitated again. But then, he nodded. Chris was a nice guy, beyond what he really had to be. He’d patched up Josh’s hand, had sat and waited with him... he was sweet.

He was different. But he was probably normal. But still. Josh looked back down the hallway, then back to Hannah.

“You’re the worst,” he said, but allowed her to push him back toward the kitchen.

“Hey,” he said, directly to Chris, as he rejoined them in the kitchen.

“Hey,” Chris said again. “How’s your hand?”

Josh couldn’t help but smile.

**Author's Note:**

> meet this cute @ http://mtblackwood.tumblr.com/


End file.
